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Faculty Maternity Leave Policy

Eligibility: this policy applies to faculty women who are appointed to tenure or tenure-trackpositions.

Basic understanding: the faculty maternity leave policy exists to best serve the interests of the university, in particular the needs of students, and hence the need of departments to prepare to meet student needs. Prior to the development of this policy the only option including salary that a faculty woman had was that of a short term disability leave. While that option will continue for any faculty or staff woman with appropriate medical certification this policy expands the available options in order to improve the ways in which the individual faculty member and her department can meet their departmental obligations to students.

SHORT TERM DISABILITY WITH FULL PAY: A short term disability leave with full pay is available to any FT faculty or administrative staff member per the short term disability plan. The individual can be given time off with full pay for the amount of time (generally six weeks) certified by a doctor due to childbirth or related medical condition(s).

OTHER OPTIONS FOR FACULTY WOMEN IN TENURE OR TENURE-TRACK POSITIONS

Option A: Leave of absence for full semester due to childbirth or adoption during that semester or within six weeks of the first day of classes: the faculty member who takes a full fall or spring semester off to give birth to a child or to adopt a child during that semester or within six weeks of the first day of classes is eligible for half pay for six months with full benefits. This works out to 75% of total salary for a full year, as the other six months, assuming she returns to a full load of teaching, will be at 100%.

Option B: Birth of a child or adoption of a child without interruption of service in the classroom: the current* faculty member who gives birth to a child or adopts a child without interruption of service in the classroom is eligible for a course reduction of one course in the next semester when she returns to the classroom. For instance: a faculty member who gives birth or adopts during the December recess is eligible for a course reduction the following spring semester. A faculty member who gives birth or adopts while on a sabbatical spring semester is eligible for a course reduction the following fall semester.

Notes for application:

Approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is required for exercise of options A and B.

These options are mutually exclusive, including the receipt of short term disability. In other words, a faculty member could not get the semester off at 1⁄2 pay option PLUS the option of course reduction, nor, as well, weeks at full pay as disability. Only one option can be exercised per pregnancy or, for options A and B, adoption.

These options are not deferrable: if a faculty member elects not to take the semester off when the birth or adoption occurs the option can not then be used in subsequent semesters.

* Options A and B are also available to newly hired tenure track faculty members who give birth or adopt in the time between receipt of a fully signed letter of appointment and the start of classes, as applicable. The existence of these options does not imply that health benefits commence any sooner than is appropriate per the usual schedule.

Leaves exercised under this policy will run concurrently with Family Medical Leave Act leave when applicable, for those who qualify.

Course overloads: if the department chair seeks to cover the course reduction through a request for course overload or adjunct arrangements the request will be reviewed in the customary fashion. The faculty member receiving the course reduction is not eligible for course overload pay.

Other requests for additional time off can be considered consistent with the provisions of the Faculty Handbook and applicable university policies.